The Tower Life

 

            The Eiffel Tower, a real symbol of Paris, was built from 1887 to 1889, by 50 engineers and 132 workmen. These men, often called “acrobats” because of the height where they worked, confronted difficult condition which induced them to go on strike.

1) Difficult work conditions

Workmen had long and difficult days : around 12 work hours a day. Besides, when they worked high, the cold and the wind numbed them, above all during the winter of 1888-1889, which was hard. On the contrary, in the summer of 1888, the climat was scorching .In spite of the hardness of their job, workmen were poorly paid, which led to two strikes. 

2) Strikes

          The first strike was announce on the 19st of September 1888 because of the job’s precariousness : about 5 cents by hour. Besides, when the building stopped, during a storm for example, days were not paid. Out of 132 workmen, just 27 were presents. On the 21th September 1888, Gustave Eiffel accepted to raise salaries, increasing them from 5 cent an hour to 20 cent an hour .However , less than two months after December 2nd 1888, workmen went back on strike, thinking that their work is still not remunerated enough.

That time, Eiffel refused to increase the mages once again, but promises a gratification of 100 francs for every workman at the end of the building site. Not having the choice, the workmen resume their works at the end of 48 hours. The few workmen who still resist are sent to the foot of the Tower, which is not a glorious work. At the contrary top, workmen are glorified and called “the essential ones”.The workmen of the bottom of the Tower resign them of themselves.                              

3) Accidents

            Eiffel had a philosophy, he thought that the risk was the same one with 60 meters as with 300 meters. Indeed, death was certain in both cases. There, the workmen could not complain about the risk too high at the top of the Tower .Moreover, precautions were taken in order to avoid the accidents. Of course, wire nettings were installed so that the workmen did not fall, but one also added to it extensions in order to avoid the fall of the tools. Thanks to these precautions, only one workman died on the building site:the Italian worker Angelo Scagliotti. The cause of its death is unknown;some rumors ran on this mystery:most widespread is that he rode a bike in balance in order to amaze the witnesses. Eiffel erased this death and compensated the window provided that she regained Italy.

 

 

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